Aeroplane



Dec; 20, 1927. 1,653,342

R. CHILLINGWORTH AEROPLANE Filed June 12. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR .9 j fiadofl/zillinywvrl/i M ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1927.

, R. CHILLINGWORTH AEROPLANE Filed June 12, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR zzziqlf ['kz'llz'rzfmarf/Z BYC M ATTORNEY Patented D... 2c, 1927.

UNITED sTATEs 1,653,342 PATENT OFFICE.

' nunonr cmmmowonrn, or new YORK, 11. Y.

' Annornama' Application am June 12, 1924. Serial No. 719,480.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and form air columns of compacted air at the rear or at the bottom of an aeroplane. Such columns of compressed .air, arranged within the surrounding air, with a part of the aeroplane on to" or at the end of the column, serve to hol .the 'aeroglane in' position and thereby prevent a wob ling or uncontrolled action of the aeroplane. 'As a result of this im r'ov'ement,,the use of aeroplanes is made sa er than heretofore, since many accidents. heretofore have resulted in that aeroplanes enter air ockets, or are subjected to cur rents whic have an effect upon the movement of the aeroplane, so as to'cause such aeroplanesto glet beyond thecontrol of the pilot. But wit the plane, so to say, resting upon this air column, an air quasi anchorage is obtained, so that-when the aeroplane enters an air pocket or is sub ected to any currents of the air, an wob ling that might,

under ordinary c'on itions' take place, is pre vented by this anchorage. Theconipression or compacting of the airi'nto the columlf f forms a gui aeroplane itsel f,'on w ich support the aeroplane continuously and progressively anchors. While thispermits a lateral sway of thejplane", ithinders and prevents a forward 40 or backward drop'or plun e.

The invention consists rther in certain improvements in aeroplane structures, which consists essentially in providing a water-tight com artmentfor the operating mechanism of the propeller for the pilot, for the passengers, and attendants, as also, if desired, for the steering ear, andthe surrounding of this water-tig t compartment or inner tube with an outer tube. The annular space between the inner and outer tubes serves to guide the air, which is being compacted and compressed by a suitable propeller, so that the continuation of this annular space hetween the. two tubes serves to form the compacted air column hereinabove referred to. This particular improvement in aeroplanes sup ort produced by the provides a water-tight compartment .on the one hand and the compacting-air tube on the other, though either of these features may be independently used as they form intween theinner and outer tubes, suitable strengthening members are provided, which serve to hold the tubes in their res ective positions. Exterior. to the outer tu e, the usual skeleton and frame-work of an aeroplane is. provided.

The invention consists further of certain features which will be hereinafter described.

Among others, the combination of anair compacting propeller with the aeroplane.

drivng propeller; also the articular arrangement of the aeroplane riving propeller to bring about exterior air columns, exteiror to the inner air column. Certain other features of the invention will be more fully dscribed hereinafter, all of the parts thereof shown in the annexed drawings, and the invention finally pointed out in the claims. In. theaccompanying drawings, Figured is a vertical sectional view of the aircompacting members to compact the air and forman air column, 1

Figure 2 is a front view. of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view like that of Figure 1, but provided with exterior propellingvanes,

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figdependent improvements in the art. Be-

are 3, but showing my improved-propeller Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, a suitable shaft 10 is provided with spider arms 11, in the drawing shown as sixin number. These spider arms support 21'. their peripheral ends a circular rim 12; in front of the spider arms, a conical cap 13 is provided to give as little resistance to the air as possible. Preferably the shaft 10, the spider arms 11, the rim 12 and the cap 13, are all preferably made of one piece. Between the cap 13 and the rim- 12, there are arranged in the embodiment shown, six (6) vanes or blades 14., which curve from the front part of the rim inwardly and downwardly to the rear part of the rim, and at their lowermost. ends abut against the spider arms 11. These blades are preferably six in number and in consequence there are six open spaces at the front, and also six open spaces at the rear; the latter open spaces are formed between the spider arms 11. The blades themselves are suitably curved and between the cap and Figure 2, the open spac s are above and below the blades 14. Rearwardly of the rim, an extension 15 is provided, which serves to guide the'compacted air. Anysuitable operating means may be provided to rotate the shaft at a suitable'speed. When such shaft is rotated and the spider arms, cap and rim, and blades'rotated therewith, the air thatenters the front of the blades is guided rearwardly out of the openings between the spider arms and compacted as it leaves the rear ofthe spider arms and the rear of the extension of the rim. This compacting serves to, bring together the atoms or molecules of the air in a cylindrical compressed mass, which might be referred to as an air column. The cylindrical mass of air is formed and controlled by the means described. Also the disturbing air at the front is removed. This generated compressed or compacted air of cylindrical contour, ex-' ists within the general air atmosphere, the

only difference between the general atmos-- pheric air and this column of air being that the column is of more compressed and comacted form or constituency of cubical mass. t is a permanent guide, always or continuously generated, which, while it has an anchorage greater than the disturbing influences, holds the aeroplane in position. It has also a radial anchorage or action. The rotating blades act in the nature of a corkscrew entering the air as the aeroplane pro-. ceeds, and the blades compact the air to form the air column at the rear of the aeroplane. The general object of this air column is that as the blades move through theair and compact the air, these blades with their frame rest, so to say, column, and the general idea is that the aeroplane structure thereby finds' an anchorage upon this air column. As a result of this action, should the aeroplane strike any air pocket or any eddy currents which would, under ordinary circumstances, cause it to wobble or to takea dangerous turn, this combination and co-operation of the air column with the mechanism serves to hold the.

aeroplane securely in position and overcomes thereby any action of air pockets, or eddy currents.

In Figure 1, the compacted air is shown take up the space' he rim. Looking at.

upon this compacted by the dotted efi'ect showing a cylindrical column of compacted air. This column, of

course, extends quite a distance, depending upon the relativity of the compacted column and the surrounding atmosphere.

In Figure 3 is shown the structure of Figures 1 and 2, provided, however, with a propeller exterior to the rim 12 and its extension15 of the air compacting means. This propeller 18 in Figure 3 is shown of ordinaryform or shape and acts like the usual propellers heretofore used with aeroplanes.

In Figures 4 and 5, a particular kind of propeller is shown exterior .to the air compacting means. This propeller has a bentover portion at its periphery, which serves to captivate the air and so to, raise the eflicienc'y of the propulsion of the blades'and discharge the air on the line 20-21, and thereby form an outer or exterior air column surrounding that of the .air column formed by the air compacting means. The inner air compactingmeans and the outer air compacting means thereby give a core of compacted air and a surrounding sleeve of coinpacted air. The outer sleeve of compacted air serves to maintain for a greater length of time the compacted inner a'ir column core, and prevents its diffusion into the surrounding atmosphere. 4 and 5 shows the direction of rotation." In Figure 4 only four blades are shown. Any number of blades may be used for either propeller. I v

In Figures 6,7 and 8' are shown figures of an aeroplane. The-center portion thereof consists of .a watertight, compartment, in which .the mechanism for moving the propeller is arranged, in which also-a space is provided for the pilot, as also space for the passengers, or attendants. The pro elling mechanism is indicatedingeneral y the character-22, although not shown in detail. as the same is well-known. The place for the pilot is indicated by 23; the place for the passengers by 24; the place for the steering gear at 25. All these different places are arrangedin the air-tightcompartment 30, so that in the event the aeroplane should encounter an accident and fall upon the surface of the water, it will not sink, but will float, and hold harmless the persons therein from the entrance of water. The joints of the doors, windows, etc., are also airTtight. Thls compartment 30 is arranged of general tubular shape and forms the inner tube of the aeroplane. Exterior to this inner tube 1s arranged an outer tube 26-, the inner and outer tubes being held together by the ribs or bars 27. The propeller 29 is arranged at the front of the aeroplane and when it is o erated it serves not alone to propel the p ane but to compress and compact the air the space between the inner tube 30 and outer tube 26. At the rear of the outer tube be arranged set back as shown. In either] pockets whichthe plane may encounter. A A

stabilizing means is thereby provided. Both inner series of blades and outer series of blades when arranged as descrlbed, serve to I stabilize the operation of the aeroplane. In Figure 1 for instance, both inner and outer tube is rotatable, whereas in Figure 6 for instance, the inner and outer tubes are fixed. In Figure 1 is shown a combination of an air compressor, and a propeller. In Fi ure 6, an ordinary propeller is shown, but it is understoodthat to compact the air, an air compressor is used, either like Figure 1,01"

Figure 3, or Figure 5. The exhauster action assists in the progress of the plane. The exhauster-compressor acts in respect to the cubical dimensions, rather than as a planetary action, as the planes, serves also to anchor and act against the wabbling of the plane. -A plurality of the devices described may be applied to anaeroplane, and these can be either horizontal or vertical. The

ropeller shown in Figure 1 is adapted to e placed in vertical or horizontal position. Surrounding the outer tube is the usual frame-work and planes of the aeroplane, and of. course, instead of one plane, a series thereof maybe provided. These are not further described in detail as they form no part of my invention.

The air compacting means can "be arranged to discharge t e compacted air horizontally as shown, or can be also arranged to discharge it vertically.

In Figure 3, the outer blades 18, are shown as set back out of the plane of rotation of the innertblades 14, in order to show by the drawings the curvature of the parts. It is preferable to have the base curvature of the outer blades 18, of the same configuration as the peripheral curvature 'of the inner blades,

and have the outer blades form, so to say, a

continuation of the inner blades, both blades being in the sameplane of rotation. By this arrangement the air is not disturbed except in parallelism. But the outer blades could provided.

The turned over ends of the outer blades case, arim 15 to form an extension, may be increase the efiiciency of the propelling effect.

In Figure 6, the part indicated by 26, is the outer tube broken away.

.I have shown various embodiments-of my invention but changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of same, as defined in the appended claims.

In a preferable form, the rim 12, and its interior and exterior surfaces act as a support for the inner blades and the outer 7 blades, and the bases of the outer blades,

conform to the peripheral ,portions of the inner blades. Suitable guideways at the interior and exterior of the rim can be ar- The rim acts there y as a common carrying member for both inner and outer blades.

I claim as new:

1. In an aeroplane, air compacting means comprising a shaft, blades arranged thereon, a rim surrounding the blades and extending beyond the rear 'ends thereof, and a second series of blades carried by. the outer face of the rim at the rear edge of the rim, and having theig forward edges extending in a plane slightly forward of the inner edges of the inner blades;

2. In an aeroplane, air compacting-means comprising a shaft,-blades arranged thereon and having their front and rear edges in a longitudinal plane With the adjoining blades, a rim surrounding the blades and extending beyond the rear ends thereof, and a second series of blade; carried by the outer face of sis the rim at the rear edge thereof, and having their forward edges extending slightly be-.

comprising a shaft, blades arranged thereon,

a rim surrounding the blades, a second rim carried by the outer face of the first rim, and a second series of blades carried by the outer face of the second rim, and having their forward edges extending a slight dis.- tance forward of the rear edges of the inner blades. I

4. In a aeroplane, .air compacting means comprising an enlarged shaft having a conical cap for diverting air outwardly, blades arranged on said shaft in rear of saidcap, a rim surrounding and carried by the blades, and having a rear extension extending a considerable distance beyond the rear edges of the blades, and a second series of blades carried b the outer face of the rim at the rear edge t iereof and having their forward edges extending in a plane sli htl forward of the rear edges of the inner bla es. s

5. In an aeroplane, air compacting means comprising an enlarged shaft having a conical cap for diverting air outwardly, blades arranged on said shaft in rear of said cap, a rim surrounding and carried by said blades, a second rim surrounding the edge of the 'first rim and extending a considerable disond rim and having their forward edges extending slightly beyond a'plane with the rear edges of the inner blades.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoingas my invention, I have signed m name hereto.

RUDOLF CHILLI GWORTH. 

